When crafting a fragrance, it is imperative for the composer to have an image in mind - A picture that will form a canvas for the subsequent art to beautify and adorn.

Occasionally distilling an exceptional Oil calls for opening the old books to explore the finer details; How did Our sages of the past coax the elusive rose note from a Malaysian Oudh? How can you make a hint of Camphor sing in a Hindi? As they evolve from concept to reality such distillations have a tendency to grip the heart and become personal.

QANDAHAAR – The Oil, was one such oil that transcended beyond the normal theme of Oudh. A lengthy journey ensued to ensure the distillation apparatus mimicked exactly what we found in our books. Anyone who was lucky enough to get a bottle knows exactly what I refer to when I allude to it being ‘a complete fragrance’.

What was produced when we cooked the second batch of incense grade Hindi wood? QANDAHAAR II

An Oudh Oil that is beyond artisanship (you can purchase the wood used here). This is Oudh not just crafted by an artist but rather an artisan inspired. Oudh genius is when you have both the wood and oil in hand and when you smell the Oil it challenges all of your olfactory library and associated references - Your mind will protest; how is this possible from a Hindi?

When opening the bottle, you are greeted with a cloud of camphor coolness, whereas in QANDAHAAR this stayed around for some time, here the camphor coolness fades into a warmer Hindi ambergris. The warmness wraps itself with the soul of red blood roses then shyly moves to the background allowing the dance of clove and cardamom. The rose profile rises to a crescendo swirling to become prominent and then comes a deep & rich oozing oriental resin profile lilting through with a smoothest undercurrent of ripened grapes. This is as close to a barn effect that you will get - more ripened grapes than animal barn, slightly musky. This oil gives you the complete spectrum of Oudh Fragrances yet it is only distilled from Hindi oudh.